|
|
|
Participants
in this thread: |
- boonedoggle
- Grace
- Daphne Merriweather
- angi0670
- tutgirl
- dee
- apacapacas
- smitte21
- m2brown
- samwhitaker1985
- clhaugen
|
|
|
How can we be sure we’re not bringing home a dog with serious behavioral problems? I’ve got lots of friends who seem very happy with their shelter dogs, but at least one has had to return her dog to a shelter—it was very traumatic for her (still can’t believe she couldn’t find a better option!).
Should I bring a trainer with me? Should I trust what the shelter people say? |
|
|
You can trust some shelter people, but sometimes the employees are more anxious to save a dog than to find the right fit. If they’ve got a high adoption rate and seem really picky about who adopts their dogs, that’s a good sign.
If they seem eager to adopt out a dog at all costs, it is probably a really good idea to bring along a trainer. |
|
|
Of course, spend as much time as you can with the dog before deciding to adopt her. Take her for walks around the shelter, see what sort of toys she likes to play (ball, tug, etc.) so that you’ll have some idea of what you’re getting into. You won’t find out everything, but that’s true no matter where or who you get your dog from. |
|
|
My husband and I have adopted two dogs from a local shelter-the first was in July of 2006 and the second was in September of this year. We have friends who have purchased dogs from breeders and they have had the same problems we have had.
With puppies, their personality and behavior can change once they are away from their litter mates and in a new environment. It’s very important to sit down and consider how much time you are willing to spend to solve any problems the dog may have. The first dog we adopted had a lot of behavior issues and there were those days that I really wanted to take her back, but I couldn’t do it. We were going to continue to work with her.
After about two months of training, she was much better. Now she is an amazing dog and we are so happy we have her. The shelter we adopted our dogs from does complete a behavior profile on all of the dogs which we can read prior to viewing the dogs. Because the first dog was so young, there was no real way to tell how she would act in a new environment. Our second dog was a little bit older, so his profile was accurate. We knew what problems he had and we were willing to work on them and make adjustments to make things easier on all of us.
One big thing you have to consider is whether you want an adult or a puppy. Puppies can be a lot of work and require a lot of time and attention. You can’t lock a puppy up for hours at a time. An adult dog who is house trained can spend more time alone than a puppy. It is also easier to evaluate their personality and behavior. Most of their issues can be assessed early on. At the same time, the problems they have may require as much time and effort as a puppy would. If you can, I would recommend adopting an older dog. Just adopt from a shelter that you feel comfortable with.
I would also recommend bringing some one with you. I think a friend or family member who has a lot of experience with dogs would be better than a trainer. They would know more about your lifestyle than a trainer would. When it comes to the shelter people, each person is going to be different. You want a person that asks a lot of questions about your lifestyle and how much time you can devote to training. They should also ask how much time you have to exercise a dog. This will evaluate what energy level you can tolerate. If the person doesn’t ask you these questions, then I wouldn’t trust them.
I would really recommend sitting down and evaluating your lifestyle: what your willing to change/not change, how much training your willing to do, how long would the dog be locked up, do you have the time and patience to deal with behavior issues, etc. If you go in with answers to these questions, you can decide if a dog is a good match for you or not. Ask around at local pet stores what shelters they recommend or visit a few shelters to see if you feel comfortable adopting from there.
Also, if you have another dog, ask how they handle introductions. If the shelter won’t allow you to bring in the other dog, don’t adopt from them. Many dogs are returned to shelters because they don’t get along with the other animals in the home. Going to a shelter completely prepared will make the process a lot easier.
If you decide not to adopt, make sure you use a reputable breeder. Never buy a dog from a pet shop! |
|
|
|
|
|
I’ve adopted 4 dogs from shelters – 2 I kept, 2 I had to return.
The two I kept came from the same municipal shelter. The staff there get to know the dogs while they wait the state required 10 days for owners to claim strays. They keep adopters’ applications on file and get to know prospective adopters so they can make a good match. You almost never walk in and walk out with a dog. Both dogs took weeks until a perfect match came available. (The first one died in Nov 06. We had him for 10 years. The second one is coming up on her 1 year anniversary and is asleep at my feet.)
The two disasters were from shelters that just wanted to get rid of dogs and let me take a dog within minutes of meeting it. I should have known better, but I was being emotional. The first one had serious resource guarding issues. I had several 3rd degree bites from him. The other was very anxious and tried to hump my other dog for 4 days straight. He also wanted to kill the cat. He went back.
My daughter and I volunteer at our local shelter. They are very good at evaluating dogs and don’t adopt out dogs they feel have issues that could result in injury. They do allow dogs that show signs of dog aggression get adopted – but no resource guarders and they must be friendly to people.
Not all of the municipal shelters are that responsible around here. |
|
|
Here are some things to consider:
The breed of the dog you’re thinking of getting or adopting. Most breeds have been trained for years to do a certain job, and when they can’t do that job, they need another. (On medium and large breeds, a backpack worn while on walks will help satisfy the dog’s need to “work.”)
Your energy level and the dog’s energy level. Some dogs have more energy than others. A jack russell terrier has a lot more energy than a Shih Tzu, for example. Read up on the breed you’re contemplating, and be sure to check resources for information on inbred problems such as dysplasia, thyroid deficiencies, susceptibility to allergies, and so on.
The amount of time you have to spend walking the dog (45-60 minutes at least once a day, preferably twice if the dog is a high energy dog).
How willing you are to put up with fur all over the house and all over your clothes. Some dogs shed a lot, some hardly shed at all. Be sure you’re willing to deal with whatever amount of dog fur you’ll have with the dog you choose.
Don’t get a puppy from a pet store; those dogs are usually bred in puppy mills and will probably, within days, exhibit signs and symptoms of illenss. Instead, adopt from a rescue group or from a shelter. DON’T adopt from anyone who will allow you to take the dog with you the first time you go to them. They should at the very least do a home visit to make sure you have an adequate yard and fence; they should ask you questions about your lifestyle and what you want in a dog (do you want a dog who will be happiest running along the beach with you, or do you want a lovable old couch potato?) They should ask if you have other animals in your house, and if you have other dogs, they should allow you to bring your dog in to introduce him to the dog you’re thinking of adopting. If you have a cat, be sure the new dog is not small prey aggressive. Make sure the dog is neutered or spayed, is up to date on all its shots, has been recently wormed, checked for heartworm and found to be negative (or you’re willing to go through the treatment program with the dog you’re thinking of adopting). Be sure you have a copy of the dog’s medical records that you can take to a veterinarian of your choosing. Find out what kind of dog food the dog is accustomed to eating, and start him off with that brand in your home. If you think another brand is better for him, introduce it to him gradually by mixing increasing amounts of it into his old feed every day. Find out whether the dog knows how to walk on a leash properly; if he doesn’t, be sure you’re willing to put in the time and effort necessary to train him. Check to see whether he is dog aggressive or people aggressive, and decide whether you’re willing to train him out of it. DON’T adopt a dog who is food or resource aggressive – you’re setting yourself up to be bitten.
Be sure the shelter or rescue group you adopt from takes the time to get to know you, has had the dog long enough to get to know him, and has interacted daily with the dog to keep him well socialized.
I guess that’s about all I can think of at the moment! <grin> |
|
|
Most of what I wanted to say has already been said but I’d also like to add that you should never rush into getting any dog from a shelter just to “save it’s life”. That may not be the dog for you and there is no guarantee that the next person that comes in isn’t the perfect fit for them. There is a breed rescue out there for just about every breed you are looking for so if you don’t see what you want then check with the rescues. They are wonderful at educating you about the breed (it’s advantages and disadvantages) and will do a wonderful job of matching you with the right dog to fit you. If you go to Petfinder.com most shelters and rescues list their dogs there and you can see what is available and then go and see those dogs that you liked. |
|
|
I rescued Jessie a little over 3 months ago….he had been living in a small cage for 2 months. He was covered in urine and so shy he walked over to a corner of the room and with head to wall and tail between legs, stood there for the 10 -15 minutes that the handler was in room. When she was called away, he began to slowly walk around room and then came to another corner and stopped. I took this opportunity to pat him a few times on the back. He didn’t bite me or even look around….at this time, the handler came back….stated he was low energy and a terrier…..since he hadn’t bit me, I decided to adopt him…....I started him off with daily walks and found out I couldn’t outwalk what I later learned was a Tibetan Terrier….. for the first month, he wouldn’t let someone within 20 yards get close to him…..now, he walks past crowds of people, into shopping centers and even likes to be petted by some of the neighbors…..HOWEVER, Tebetans are not low in their energy level….am 72 yrs old and found out real fast that a mile or two was not enough for him….finally bought a 26” 3 wheel Schwinn Bike and out we go for 3 – 4 mile runs…he sets the pace which is usually a trot….sometimes he’s so happy to be out he will break out into a gallop for a block or so…he looks straight ahead, mouth open, (he’s laughing when he does this) and think he’s just so happy to be out and free of a cage….am just about ready to turn him loose in a dog park….first two times didn’t work out as he tucked his tail between legs and this shows other dogs that he, (Jessie), is still unbalanced in some ways…...all in all, this is a great dog and I think dogs/ problems stem from their owners inablilty to be a pack leader… |
|
|
Hi,
I guess it’s safe to adopt a dog from reputable shelters. They don’t want to ruin their names by having bad adoptable dogs right? You should try to have the adoptable dogs in this page. Just input your zipcode to find the ones nearest to you.
http://dogtime.com/finder/edit
Regards. |
|
|
No matter how careful you are, it is always to some degree a gamble. The behavior of an animal cannot ever be 100% predicted or for that matter guaranteed even with intense training. I believe pet owners must be willing to make some degree of sacrifice and compromise, just like with any relationship. The shelter I have volunteered with has adopted out some wonderful dogs and some disasters as well. They only require basic qualifications (i.e. number of pets already at the house, house owner’s release to have a dog in the house, and the ability to pay the adoption fee.) They say they follow up, but they don’t always do. It is really up to the adoptors to make unemotional, wise and informed decisions. Too often I see adults letting children pick out the dog they like based mostly on looks. |
|
New User
New Post
|
|
|
|
|
11 posts, 11 voices
Discussions: Is it safe to adopt from a shelter?
